Motor-controller.



E. BARNUMr MOTOR CONTROLLER.

A PPLICATION FILED EPT.18. I915.

Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

3 SHEETS$HEET 1.

T, E. BARNUM.

MDTOR CONTROLLER.

APPLICAHON FILED SEPT. 18. 1915.

Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T. E. BARNUM.

MOTOR CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION'HLED SEPT. 18. 1915.

1 ,245,55 1 Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS E. BARN'I IM, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN,-ASSIGNOR TO THE CUTLER- HAMMER MFG. 00., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WIS- GONSIN.

MOTOR-CONTROLLER.

Patented Nov. 6, 191 '7.

Application filed September 18, 1915. Serial No. 51,322.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. BARNUM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Motor-Controllers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, formin a part of this specification.

This invention relates to motor controllers and more particularly to controllers for alternating current motors.

In practice where it has been desired to start an alternating current motor by completing the circuit thereof through a transformer and fuses progressively and selectively it has been customary to design; the controller for movement in opposite d1rections from a'neutral or off position for starting and running. Further, it has been customary to provide latching means for thecontroller to insure its movement to starting position prior to movement thereof to running position. Thus the movement has been complicated while the latching means has been an extra expense and a structural complication.

This invention has among its objects to provide an improved controller for the aforesaid and other purposes, which may be operated in a simple and convenient manner and which will eliminate the necessity for the protective latching means above mentioned.

A further object is to provide a controller of the character mentioned which will auto matically return to initial position when released from either starting or running position. v e

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawings illustrate certain embodiments of the invention and the same will now be described, it being understood that the embodiments selected for illustration are susceptible of various'modifications. g

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a controller embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on line 2-2, Fig. l; 1

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Flg. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View taken on line M, Fig. 3, but showing the rotary part of the controlling mechanism in elevation; and,

Figs. 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views illustrating the adaptability of the controller for different uses.

Referring to Fig. 1 the controller shown therein is designed for use as'a potential starter for alternating current motors. It includesa drum type control switch 1, a transformer 2 and a fuse panel 3 all sup ported on a right angle frame 4 adapted for attachment to a suitable support. As will be noted the transformer and fuse panel are inclosed in a suitable casing 5 mounted on the upper side of the frame 4, near the rear thereof, while the control switch is suspended from the forward end of the frame in an oil receptacle 6. The control switch is biased to neutral or off position and is operable by a handle 7 to selectively establish starting and running connections, the former including the transformer and excluding the fuse panel while the latter include the fuse panel and exclude the transformer. The manner of operating thecon-y For starting the handle is moved clockwise to engage a stop 9 and for running is re turned to the intermediate dotted line position from which it may be directly returned to neutral position. Thus the controller handle passes through'running position in its movement to starting position but as will hereinafter appear, the switch mechanism insures against establishment of running connections during such movement. Also, as will hereinafter appear, the control switch after movement to starting position may be released for automatic return to running position wherebythe only manual operation required is the uni-directional operation from neutral to starting position.

The control switch includes a vertical revoluble shaft 10 mounted in a bearing 11 1n the supporting frame e and operable by the handle 7 This shaft carries two drum sections? 13 and 14 having fixed thereto contacts to cooperate withstationary contacts hereinafter specified. As shown, the drum sections13 and 14 are formed of insulating material molded onto sleeves 15 and 16 respectively, the latter being fixed to the shaft 10 by a pin 17 and the former being loose upon the shaft. Thus the drum sec tion 14 Will always rotate with the shaft while the drum section 13 is loose upon the shaft but provided with a lost motion connection therewith.- This connection includes a disk 18 fixed to. the shaft 10 by a pin 19 and provided with a depending lug 20 to cooperate with spaced lugs 21 and 22 projecting laterally from the loose sleeve 15 of the drum section 13 (Figs. 1 and 2). Accordingly provision is made for operation of both drum sections by reverse operations of the shaft but subject to the play of the drum section 13 and said shaft is provided with a spring 2-1 biasing the same in a counterclockwise direction for neutral or off po sitioning of the drum sections. This spring is coiled about the bearing of shaft 10 and is connected at one end to a lug 25 on the supporting frame and at its opposite end to a lug 26 on the disk 18 fixed to said shaft. The spring exerts its biasing effort at all times and for securing the switch in operative position after release of the handle a retaining magnet 27 (Fig. 2) is provided. This magnet, which is preferably of the low voltage type, has a pivoted armature 28 constituting a latch for a pin 29 on an arm 30 fixed to the sleeve 15 of the "drum section 13.

Considering now the mechanical opera tion of the control switch, the parts thereof assume the relation illustrated in Fig. 2 in neutral or off position. The lug 20 fixed to the shaft abuts the lug 22 fixed to the drum section 13 whereby upon clockwise movement of the shaft the same will immediately operate drum section 14 but will not pick up drum section 13 until the lug 20 traverses the distance between the lugs 21 and 22 and abuts the former. When, however, the lug 20 does abut the lug 21 the shaft will move both drum sections together until the drum section 13 is latched by the retaining magnet, as described. Then if the operating handle is released the spring will turnthe shaft, and accordingly the drum section 14, counter-clockwise until the lost motion between said shaft and the loose drum section 13 is again taken up 'whereupon said shaft and drum section 1 1 will be arrested. So long as the magnet holds the drum section 13 the parts will remain in the relation just described whereas upon release of drum section 13 the spring 24 will further rotate the shaft to simultaneously operate both drum. sections for restoration to neutral or ofi position.

As will hereinafter appear, the drum section 13 is utilized as a line switch to close circuit when moved clockwise to its extreme position and to interrupt circuit when reswitch as above described from neutral position the connections initially established by the drum section 1 1 will be ineffective because of the interruption of line connections by the inert drum section 13. On' the. other hand, when the controlling mechanism picks up drum section 13 and moves the two drum sections together they will jointly establish starting connections and when drum section 13 is locked and drum section 14 is returned to reestablish the connections made by the initial movement thereof, said connections will be rendered effective for running. This provides for the results above described.

The stationary contacts cooperating with the drum sections comprise three setsof contact fingers 35, 36 and 37 (Fig. 2). These contact fingers are supported on three bars 38-fixed to and depending from the supporting frame in a triangular relation about the drum sections. The contacts are of like construction and as illustrated in Fig. 2 each comprises a contact finger 40 having a trunnion bearing 41011 a base plate 12 shaped to and clamped upon its supporting bar 38, as by clamping plate 43. Also, each contact finger has associated therewith a tension device 44 serving to secure the same in its bearing and to bias it toward its respective drum section, such biased movement being limited by a set screw 45 on the finger to abut the base plate. The pressure on the contact fingers which is thusafforded insures, firm engagement between said fingers and the drum contacts and furthermore this pressure is utilized to insure against clockwise movement of the drum section 13 except through the lost motion' connect-ion as above described. To this end the drum section 13 is provided with rounded lugs 46 (Fig. 2) to engage the contact fingers in the neutral or off position of the controller. This eliminates the possibility of accidental shifting of the drum 13 to circuit closing position through friction of the parts. and arrangement of contact fingers, as well as the cooperating contacts on the drum sec-. tions, may be varied according to the use of the control switch.

Referring now to Fig. 5, the same diagrammatically illustrates the above described controller in use as a potential starter for a three phase alternating current motor 50. It shows two fuses 3 and 3", an auto-transformer comprising two coils 2 and 2 a coil 27 for the retaining magnet and a normally closed pushbutton switch 51 controlling coil 27. Also, this view shows three sets of stationary contacts of the con- As will be understood, the number I one set including a segment ab and a segment ode. The segments ab are provided for the drum section 13 and cooperate with the sets of contact fingers a and Z) to function as a line switch. The segments ad) function to connect lines L and L with fuses 3 and 3 respectively, and also with transformer windings 2 and 2 respectively, while the intermediate segment ab serves to connect line L directly to the center terminal of the motor through conductor 52. On

- the other hand, the remaining contact segments are provided for the drum section 14:, the segments do and ode being provided for starting connections and the segments od for running connections. The two segments do cooperate with two sets of contact fin- .with their respective fingers.

gers d and o to connect the outside terminals of the motor by conductors 53 and 54 to intermediate points on the transformer windings 2 and 2- respectively while the contact ode connects the lower terminals of the transformer windings together and to line L these being conventional starting connections. The two segments 0d cooperate with two sets of contact fingers o and d to connect the outside terminals of the motor by conductors 53 and 54 to the fuses 3 and 3 respectively, the intermediate terminal of the motor under these conditions being connected by conductor 52 to line L which provides conventional running connections.

Thus with the mechanism above described the'segments would be movable to the left, the segments 0d making and breaking circuit between contact'fingers o and d prior to engagement of segments at, do and ode Then segments ab, do and ode would simultaneously establish the line and starting connections already described, whereas upon release of the switch the segments ab would remain in circuit closing position while the segments do and ode would disengage their fingers and the segments od reengage their fingers to establish running connections, as described. The retaining magnet 27 is connected through switch 51 to the two outside fingers b and hence would be connected across lines L and L immediately upon completion of the line connections by segments ab. In consequence magnet 27 will hold the drum section 13 subject to release upon depression of push button switch 51 or upon an abnormal voltage-drop in the supply linel Finally referring to Fig. 6, the same diagrammatically illustrates the controller with a slightly modified arrangement of contacts whereby the same may be used to efiect star sonnection of'the windings of a motor to to line L contacts wand 00 to line L start the same and subsequently efiect delta -viously described but the three sets of stationary contacts each include only four fingers w, 00, y and 2, whereas the three sets of contacts for the drum sections are identical. Each set of drum contacts includes a segment wm for the drum section 13 and two segments 11 2 and z for the drum section 14. The segments wa: cooperate with the contact fingers w and 00 to control the line connections for the motor while the segments 1 2 cooperate with the contact fingers y and e to establish delta connections for the motor windings and the segments 2 cooperate with the contact fingers e to establish star connections for said windings. As in the previous instance the segments of the two drum sections cooperate to first establishstarting connections, namely the star connections, which will now be briefly described. Segments we upon engagement with contact fingers w and m connect windings 60, 61 and 62 to lines L, L and L respectively through conductors 63, 64: and 65 respectively. On the other hand, the windings 60, 61 and 62 have their opposite terminals connected by conductors 66, 67 and 68 respectively to the three contact fingers .2 whereas the three cooperating segments 2 are electrically connected together as by conductor 69. In consequence upon engagement of segments a and fingers a the terminals of the motor windings are connected together for star relation therewith. The running connections, namely the delta connections, are established jointly by the segments war and ye upon partial return movement of the controller as described, and these connections will now be traced. Considering first the winding 60, one terminalthereof is connected by conductor 63 to line L as already set forth, while its opposite terminal is .connected by conductor (36 through the center set of. contacts y and e by conductor 70 through fuse 3 and center contacts to and 02 Next considering the winding 61, one terminal thereof is connected as already traced by conductor 61 to line L while its oppositeterminal is connected by conductor 67 through right hand contacts 3/ and 2 by conductor 71 through fuse 3 and Finally considering winding 62, one terminal thereof is connected as already described by conductor 65 to line L while its opposite terminal is connected by conductor 68 through the left hand contacts 3/ and 2 by conductor 72 through fuse 3* and contacts w and a; to line L. Hence in addition to the delta connection of the windings each winding has afuse "connected in circuit therewith. The connections of the retaining windlng 27* are the same as previously described.

It is to be understood that no attempt has switch contacts for selectively establishing l independent starting and running connections and for interrupting both, and operating means therefor insuring establishment of starting and running connections progressively, said means including a handle aving extreme neutral and starting posit1ons and an intermediate running position. 2. In a motor controller, in combination,

switch contacts for selectively establishing independent starting and running connec tions andfor interrupting both and operating means therefor insuring establishment of starting and running connections progressively said means including a handle movable fiom neutral position through running position to starting position and then back to running position.

3. In a motor controller, in combination, switch contacts for selectively establishing independent starting and running connections and for interrupting both, biased operating means therefor insuring establishment of said connections progressively, said meansbiasing said contacts to interrupt circuit and including a governing handle movable from neutrabposition to an extreme position for starting and rturnable to an intermediate position for running and means to releasably restrain said contacts against return to neutral position.

4'. In a motor controller, in combination, switch contacts for selectively establishing independent starting and running connections and for interrupting both,biased operating means therefor insuring establishment of said connections progressively, said means biasing said contacts to interrupt circuit andincluding a governing handle movable from neutral position to an extreme position for starting and returnable to an intermediate position for running and means to releasably restrain said contacts against return to neutral position, but permitting biased movement thereof for establishment of running connectionsafter establishment of starting connectlons.

5. In a motor controller, in combmatlon,

a control switch provided with an operating handle having extreme positions corresponding with the neutral and starting positions of said switch, and an intermediate position corresponding with the running position of said switch, means biasing said switch to neutralize the same and means to releasably hold said switch in running position.

6. In a motor cpntroller, in combination, a control switch provided with an operating handle having extreme positions corresponding with the neutral and starting positions of said switch and an intermediate position corresponding with the running position of said switch, means biasing said switch to neutralize the same and a low voltage magnet to hold said switch in running position against the action of said means.

7. In a motor controller, in combination,

a control switch operable to selectively establish starting and running connections and to insure establishment of starting and running connections progressively, an operating member for said switch having extreme neutral and starting positionsand an intermediate running position, means biasing said switch toward neutral position whereby it is automatically returnable from starting to running position and a low voltage magnet for checking said switch in run ning position.

8. In a motor controller, in combination, a. plurality of contact devices for starting and running connections and operating means for said devices insuring establish- 'ment of starting and running connections thereby independently and progressively, said operating means including a member having extreme neutral and starting positions and an intermediate running position.

9. In a motor controller, in combination, a plurality of contact devices for starting and running connections, one being operable relative to another and operating meansv for said contact devices including a handle, said operating means insuring independent and progressive establishment of'starting and running connections by said devices upon movement of said .handle from a neutral position to an extreme-position and then to an intermediate position.

10. In a motor controller, in combination, a plurality of contact devices having joint and independent movements for establishment of starting and running connections, operating means therefor, including a handle, to insure selective and progressive establishment of starting and running connections by said contacts upon movement of said handle from a neutral position to an extreme position and then back to an intermediatepositi n, biasing means tending to neutralize sai contact devices and a retaining magnet associated with said devices to releasably hold the same in position for es tablishment of running connections.

11. In a motorcontroller, in combination, a plurality of separate contact devices adapted to ointly establish both starting and running connections and a common operating member for said devices having a lost motion connection with one of the same.

12. In a motor controller, in combination, a plurality of separate contact devices adapted to jointly establish connections for both starting and running, and a common operating member therefor having a positive connection with one and a lost motion connection with another for establishment of start ing and running connections selectively and progressively upon movement of said operating member from a given position to a sec ond position and then to a third intermediate position.

18. In a motor controller, in combination, a plurality of contact devices to establish starting and running connections and to interrupt both, said devices being dependent upon one another for establishment of both starting and running connections and a common operating member for said devices connected thereto for joint and relative movement thereof to insure establishment of starting and running connections progressively upon movement of said member from a given position to a second position and then back to an intermediate position.

14. In a motor controller, in combination, a plurality of contact devices to establish starting and running connections and to interrupt both, said devices being dependent upon one another for establishment of both starting and running connections, a common operating memberfor said devices connected thereto for joint and relative movement thereof to insure establishment of starting and running connections progressively upon movement of said member from a given position to a second position and then back to anintermediate position, means biasing said devices against operation by said member and a retaining magnet for holding said devices in position for running connections.

15. In a motor controller, in combination, a switch having a starting position and a running position, a dominating switch having an on position and an off position and common operating means for said switches to effect and insure progressive establishment thereby of starting and running connections.

16. In a motor controller, in combination, a switch having a starting position and a running position, a dominating switch having an on position and an off position and common operating means for said switches to effect and insure progressive esta'blishment thereby of starting and running connections by movement of said means from sition, an electromagnet for holding said latter switch inon position and common operating means for said switches to eflect and insure progressive and selective establishment of starting and running connections thereby.

18. In a motor controller, in combination, a switch having a starting position and a running position, a dominating switch having an on position and an off position, means biasing said latter switch to off position, an electromagnet for holding said latter switch in on position and common operating means for said switches to effect and insure progressive and selective establishment of starting and running connections thereby, said means including a member movable from one position to another and then to an intermediate position for the aforesaid purpose.

19. In a motor controller, in combination, two switches to jointly establish starting and running connections selectively and to interrupt both, one of said switches having two positions and the other three positions and common operating means therefor insuring establishment of starting and running connections thereby progressively.

20. In a motor controller, in combination, two switches to jointly establish starting and running connections selectively and to interrupt both, one of said switches having two positions and the other three posit-ions and common operating means for said switches including a member movable from one position to another and then to an intermediate position to effect and insure progressive establishment of starting and running connections by said switches.

21. In a motor controller, in combination, two switches to jointly establish starting and running connections selectively and to interrupt both, one of said switches having two positions and the other three positions, common operating means for said switches including means biasing the same to interrupt circuit and a member operable to effect and insure progressive establishment of starting and running connections by said switches and an electromagnet for releasably retaining said switches in running position.

22. In a motor controller, in combination, two switches to jointly establish starting and running connections selectively and to interrupt both, one of said switches having two positions and the other three positions, common operating means for said switches including means biasing the same to interrupt circuit and a member operable to efiect and insure progressive establishment oi starting and running connections by said switches and an electromagnet for releasably retaining sa d switches in running position, said biasing means effecting autov ing position and a running position, a dominating switch having a neutral position and an on position, said switches cooperating to selectively establish starting and running connections and to interrupt both and common operating means for said switches, to first move the former switch from neutral position to running position, then jointly move the former and the latter switches to starting and 011 positions respectively and then move the former switch back to running'position.-

24. In a motor controller, in combination,

a switch having a neutral position, a starting position and a running position, a dominating switch having a neutral position and an on osition, said switches cooperating to selectively establish starting and run ning connections and to interrupt both, common operating means for said switches to first move the former switch from neutral position to running position, then jointly move the former and the latter switches to starting and on positions respectively and then move the former-switch back to running position, means biasing both of said switches toward neutral position and electromagnetic means to restrain the latter switch in on position and the former switch in running position;

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS E BARNUM.

WVit-nesses COBLUER SIMON, R. M. VAN VLEET. 

